Critical Role PSA: You are not Matt Mercer

[Jester David]

I don't watch CR so can someone explain what is distinctive about Mercer's play style that people try to emulate? Is it just the use of voices and extensive in character dialogue?

Yes. But also lengthy description of people and places and monsters. Descriptions of what they're doing and acting along with some sound effects.
Plus, he does make interesting characters and memorable NPCs through a combination of voices and also descriptions and mannerisms. Characters the PCs want to keep interacting with.

But he's also famous for asking "how do you want to do this?" for the killing blow in a fight, asking for narrative inspiration for the ultimate strike. Which is also the signal to the players "you won."

He's also not a helpful DM at times. By which I mean he won't remind players too much of the names of an NPC or a place. He won't hold their hand on who is what with details the players should know. He pushes them to keep notes and use their memories.

 

[pickin_grinnin]

You specifically address the Matt Mercer thing? Why is that? Have you had it come up before?

I do, if some of the players are relatively new to rpgs. I talk about the difference between streaming "live play" and playing D&D in the real world. I tend to use Critical Role as an example, since it is the most popular one of its type. I make sure they understand that the players are doing a lot of acting for the camera, that there is editing involved, and that the adventures and character decisions tend to revolve around what will look and sound best to viewers.

I go over a lot of other things, including my general GM style, the need to come up with characters that have some reason to work with each other (as opposed to being the "brooding loner"), what my homebrew rules for the campaign are (if any), etc. Since I run sandbox campaigns, we talk about what that means and what to expect.

 

[Lem23]

I've never watched any Critical Role (I prefer to play rather than watch others play), so I have no idea what Mercer's GM style is, but from what I can tell from this thread, it appears to be "does accents for NPCs" and "describes in detail." Which makes me wonder how others are playing / GMing games, since that's always been standard practice for all the groups I've been a part of, for more than 35 years now.

Is there more to it than that, or are other groups not doing those things as a matter of course?

 

[Oofta]

I've never watched any Critical Role (I prefer to play rather than watch others play), so I have no idea what Mercer's GM style is, but from what I can tell from this thread, it appears to be "does accents for NPCs" and "describes in detail." Which makes me wonder how others are playing / GMing games, since that's always been standard practice for all the groups I've been a part of, for more than 35 years now.

Is there more to it than that, or are other groups not doing those things as a matter of course?

Some of it is describing things in detail, some of it is doing accents (and sound effects). Other aspects of it is how slow the game moves. I've only listened to a couple dozen episodes myself, but in a recent episode they spent a significant amount of time procuring a bucket of tar. Several sessions may span a day or two.

It's the kind of thing a lot of DM's would just hand-wave but Matt made it a side quest and added depth to the locale that otherwise wouldn't have been there. All of this was done in-character with a distraction using performance and acrobatics checks, ad-hoc perception and so on.

In addition, the players by-and-large stay in character when conversing with each other.

At least that's the big difference to me. The miniatures, the set pieces, even the accents and other superfluous stuff adds to the ambiance of the show. Very ad-hoc, very high on improvising and player led direction.

I like to think my game plays somewhat similar, although I do move the plot along more quickly and of course I am not a professional voice actor.

 

[Lem23]

Thanks @Oofta

I think in that case that I might indeed be Matt Mercer after all. Huh.

 

[darjr]

There's not so few people giving advice online about DMing that I've felt the need to support someone who is not only an naughty word, but needlessly so.

This! I’m done with the “fake” angry ranters on line.

Thank all the levels of hell that there is Mathew Mercer as a dipole to those hate slingers.

 

[Jester David]

This! I’m done with the “fake” angry ranters on line.

Thank all the levels of hell that there is Mathew Mercer as a dipole to those hate slingers.

It’s also why Tom Lommel retired the Dungeon Bastard. Too many naughty words, and many newcomers to the game might not get it was a joke and persona. And we need fewer examples of nerdrage online and as spokespeople for the game.

(Said as someone who can be an naughty word and negative, but doesn’t like being so and tries not to be.)

 

[Fauchard1520]

I do, if some of the players are relatively new to rpgs. I talk about the difference between streaming "live play" and playing D&D in the real world.

Oh man... I would seriously love to see a transcript of that discussion. The differences between actual play and at-the-table D&D is a major interest for me, and hearing how other GMs describe it would be fascinating.

Any chance you could be convinced to write out that part of your intro speech?

 

[Jester David]

Oh man... I would seriously love to see a transcript of that discussion. The differences between actual play and at-the-table D&D is a major interest for me, and hearing how other GMs describe it would be fascinating.

Any chance you could be convinced to write out that part of your intro speech?

I disagree with some of his thoughts posted. Specifically editing (as many livestreams are not edited and actually shot live) and the comment that they’re making decisions based on how they’ll play for the fans.
They know they’re playing to an audience, but I think entertaining their fans is less important that entertaining their friends. Most of their decisions and character moments would unfold similarly. Because there’s no shortage of things they’ve done that have pissed off the fans or had them called stupid. (The infamous fish moment.)
And there is a bit of a separation. It’s easy to forget the cameras are there.
This is really visible in live games where they do act slightly differently.

I think their acting on the stream is more subtle. Feigning tension and excitement. Exaggerating their emotions as players. When they’re acting most is when they’re “themselves” and not their PCs.

I think one of the biggest differences is the absence of cross-table talk and just off topic chatter. They get derailed at times, but there’s no lengthy discussion of movies or the DM trying to talk over people chatting about work. There’s more focus.

You can have a stream-style game, but it does require limiting above-the-table conversation. People cracking jokes in the middle of other character’s interactions. People going for the cheap laugh at the expense of others. Buy-in from the players to sit quietly and let others have spotlight time.

 

[Jester David]

Because there’s no shortage of things they’ve done that have pissed off the fans or had them called stupid. (The infamous fish moment.)

For any non Critters I think this needs a video.
Setting the scene, the party is resting atop a 1000 foot cliff. One of the party decides to perform a spectacular cliff dive, using gust of wind in midair to push herself away from the cliff as she falls.